Published 5:00 am, Thursday, June 18, 2009

Phillips figures the loser of the battle between second-year players Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick will just provide the team with a solid No. 3 corner.

“It’s good for us, however it comes out,” Phillips said. “Plus, both of them have to play. Every team I’ve had for a long time, the third corner ends up playing quite a bit.”

Only one problem: Jenkins desperately wants to start.

The Cowboys drafted the South Florida alumnus in the first round, along with running back Felix Jones, in 2008. Dallas traded up to select Jenkins at No. 25 overall after taking Jones at No. 22.

“I can’t promise anything, but that’s my goal,” Jenkins said of starting. “And I’ll be upset with myself if I don’t.”

Jenkins faces stiff competition from Scandrick, a fifth-round pick in 2008. The Boise State product proved to be a steal, performing admirably as the slot corner in the nickel package.

Phillips had Jenkins and Scandrick split work with the first team at minicamp, which ended Wednesday. They’re expected to do the same at training camp beginning July 27 at the Alamodome.

While Jenkins had an up-and-down rookie season, his potential is a big reason why the Cowboys traded corner Anthony Henry to Detroit.

“They’re as gifted as any corners I’ve been around, and I’ve been around quite a few good ones,” Phillips said earlier this offseason of Jenkins and Scandrick.

Jenkins logged three starts last season and missed two games with a hamstring injury.

He finished with 22 tackles, six pass breakups and returned his only interception for a touchdown against the New York Giants.

But his struggles in zone coverage offset those numbers. He also was criticized for shying away from attempting to tackle former Giants running back Derrick Ward.

Jenkins said the media made too much of his zone struggles and the whiff on Ward.

He said he used the criticism to motivate himself to improve. His teammates say he has done just that.

“There were certain technical errors he made last season, and he’s worked hard to correct those,” Newman said. “You can tell it when we watch the film and (secondary coach Dave) Campo is telling him, ‘great job.’”

Receiver Patrick Crayton said there’s another way to tell Jenkins has improved.